PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers Academy teams continued their stretch of road games over the weekend and each recorded wins over the San Juan Soccer Club at the Mather Soccer Complex in Mather, Calif., on Feb. 23. The matches against San Juan marked the ninth consecutive road matches for both Timbers Academy teams.
The Timbers U-18 Academy recorded a 2-0 victory against San Juan. It was a closely contested match until the final minutes, when forward Timur Zhividze (Vancouver, Wash.) scored twice inside a four minute span in the 85th and 89th minutes to secure the win. Goalkeeper Collin Partee (Camas, Wash.) anchored the team’s first shutout in four games.
With the win, the Timbers U-18s improve to 6-8-2 (20pts) and are in fifth place in the Northwest Division. Zhividze ranks second on the team with five goals this season.
The Timbers U-16 Academy picked up a 3-1 win over San Juan, receiving goals from three different players. Midfielder Octavio Hermosillo (Portland, Ore.) opened the scoring in the 33rd minute to give Portland a 1-0 lead at halftime. Defender Matt Palodichuk struck for his first goal of the season in the 62nd minute before midfielder Jacob Kempf tallied a third straight Timbers goal in the 68th minute. San Juan pulled one back two minutes later on a goal by Patrick Lee.
The Timbers U-16s are 5-6-5 (20pts) and sit in fifth place in the Northwest Division for their age bracket.
The Timbers Academy teams wrap up their string of 11 consecutive road matches this weekend as they travel to Southern California to take on the San Diego Surf on Saturday and Nomads SC on Sunday.
Saturday’s matches against the San Diego Surf will take place at the San Diego Polo Club in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., with the U-18s kicking off at 9 a.m. (Pacific) and the U-16 teams starting at 11:30 a.m. (Pacific). On Sunday against Nomads SC, the U-18s play at 11 a.m. (Pacific) and the U-16s at 1:30 p.m. (Pacific) at Kinsell Field in San Diego.
Timbers Academy Director Mike Smith in France as part of new development program
Major League Soccer and the French Football Association announced a partnership earlier this week that will provide MLS Academy coaches with world-class training through an extensive development course to earn their Elite Formation Coaching License (EFCL).
Timbers Academy Director and U-16 Academy head coach Mike Smith is currently in Paris as part of the MLS delegation hosted by the FFF at the federation’s Clairefontaine national training facility, where they will guide the youth directors through the same program as the one it provides its domestic coaches. The EFCL program, however, also will include customized features developed by MLS, the United States Soccer Federation and the Canadian Soccer Association.
Click here for more information on Smith’s trip to France and the partnership between MLS and the FFF.
Timbers Academy Director and U-18 Academy head coach Adam Smith coached the Timbers U-16s to its win against San Juan over the weekend and will oversee both teams while Mike is away.
